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Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

PHR Originals: 8/13/17 – 8/20/17

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Each week Pro Hockey Rumors supplements its news articles with original pieces from our writers. This week brought us excellent and in-depth articles on a variety of prescient topics, including salary cap deep dives, free agent profiles, and future prognostications. Check out the best of the best below:

Salary Cap Deep Dives
Our writers continued with our salary cap deep dive series by previewing the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Washington Capitals. The Maple Leafs will be tight to the cap in the coming future, the Caps may lose a valuable defenseman or goaltender, GM Steve Yzerman has worked magic in Tampa Bay, and the Bruins are set to rebuild on the fly. Check out each of them here:

Boston Bruins
Tampa Bay Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs
Washington Capitals

An Early Look at the 2018 Draft Class
This article breaks down five of the likeliest players to headline the 2018 NHL draft class. Swedish prospect Rasmus Dahlin leads the pack with his Erik Karlsson comparisons, but the creative hands of Andrei Svechnikov could garner more attention as the Russian plays for the OHL Barrie Colts. Joe Veleno, Adam Boqvist, and Brady Tkachuk round out the group.

The Oldest NHL Rosters Going Forward
Seth Lawrence looks at the three oldest NHL rosters going into the 2017-18 NHL season and dissects what each team needs to do to remain (or become) successful. While an older team is not necessarily a detriment, it does imply that the team has few young players playing meaningful roles. In a salary cap era, successful teams need productive players on cheap contracts to maintain competitiveness.

Upcoming UFA Goaltenders With Something to Prove
Next year’s goaltending UFA crop may lack star power, but it does contain many interesting potential rehabilitation projects. This season provides those pending UFA goaltenders with an opportunity to turn things around and show teams that they are worth more than their current reputation belies. Whether it’s a former starter regulated to backup duties, or an aging veteran with just enough left in the tank, the following goaltenders can significantly improve their stock going into unrestricted free agency.

Comparing Distances Between NHL and AHL affiliates
This article breaks down how far each team’s AHL affiliate is from its parent club. Some teams have a local AHL club in the same city, while others have teams over 1,000 miles away. Having a relatively local AHL affiliate provides ample benefits for an NHL club. Having coaching staff in the same vicinity allows the NHL and AHL club to more seamlessly instil a organization playing system, and reduces travel issues when recalling or reassigning players. But not every team enjoys that benefit.

Free Agent Profile: Lauri Korpikoski
Unrestricted free agent winger Lauri Korpikoski hasn’t been able to build upon the offensive potential he displayed earlier in his career with the Coyotes but he has still successfully carved out a bottom six niche role over the past few years.  Despite being a safe bet for around 20 points in a lower spot in the lineup, he has yet to land somewhere for 2017-18.

Czech Republic Could Have Olympic Edge With Unsigned Players
With the NHL not allowing its players to play in the 2018 Winter Olympics, the playing field is suddenly much more level for less historically-dominant nations. One nation—the Czech Republic—seems to be in positions to best take advantage due to key unsigned free agents. Jaromir Jagr, Milan and Zbynek Michalek, and others could turn the Czech Republic into the most talented team in the tournament.

PHR Originals: 8/6/17 – 8/12/17

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With it being a quiet week in terms of news and rumors around the NHL, the PHR writers have comprised plenty of original pieces.  Here’s a sampling of some of the content to catch up on:

Atlantic Division

I broke down the salary cap situation for a trio of teams in Florida, Montreal, and Ottawa.  Speaking of the Sens, Seth discussed a missed opportunity for Ottawa to unload one of the more cumbersome deals around the league in Bobby Ryan.  Plus, vote in our poll on who will come out on top in the division.

Metropolitan Division

Seth examined Rick Nash’s future in New York as he enters the final year of his contract.  Holger assessed how the Islanders will be relying on their youth more moving forward, which will be the case regardless of where John Tavares to play in 2017-18.  He also looked into Philadelphia’s goaltending situation which is seemingly a big question heading into every year now.  The battle for top spot is expected to be highly contested; make your choice as to who comes out on top.

Central Division

Zach took a look at Colorado’s holes in their defense corps as well as the potential viability of Houston as a hockey market.  Seth discussed what has been a relatively quiet season in St. Louis and whether or not they missed out on some opportunities to improve.  Gavin analyzed the upcoming roster crunch coming in Dallas in the very near future.  He also continued his summer prediction poll series; make your pick for the division winner.

Pacific Division

Gavin broke down how the Golden Knights could still be able to take on another bad contract or two despite what they did in expansion.  While no one realistically expects Vegas to win the division, which team will be able to do so?

Free Agency

Our free agent profiles continue as I took a look at P.A. Parenteau’s situation while Zach did the same for Dennis Wideman.

League-Wide

Seth went over some teams that are poised to rebound after injury-filled 2016-17 campaigns.  Every year there are some picks from the most recent draft class that make the NHL right; Seth assessed which ones from June’s draft could do the same next season.  Mutually terminated contracts don’t give the players any money but Seth also brought up how it can still be beneficial to the player being let go.  Also on the CBA front, Gavin brought forth another look at how some top talents have been inking bonus-laden (and basically buyout-proof) contracts.  He also suggested some third-year players who could be in line for breakout seasons.

Plus, Gavin held his weekly chat while I also tackled some reader questions in our latest edition of the PHR Mailbag.

PHR Mailbag: Sharks, CBA, Hurricanes, Bruins, Predators

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Over the last few days, we’ve taken your mailbag questions on Twitter using the hashtag #PHRMailbag and on the site via the comments feature. Here are the inquiries for this edition of the mailbag:

nvalasco: What does SJ do now that they lost Marleau? They already struggled to score last year, & now lost a 20-30 goal scorer. Unless Hertl takes that next step we’re waiting for, how big of a step back do they take?

I have to admit, I’m really surprised by San Jose’s lack of offseason activity, particularly with regards to not really replacing Patrick Marleau.  They’re banking on a healthy Tomas Hertl picking up some of the slack and a full season of Jannik Hansen will certainly help.  Mikkel Boedker is due for somewhat of a bounce back campaign as well.  Those three will help offset some of the lost production but if the goal is to try to improve, I don’t think they’ve done that.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re waiting out the UFA market for one more winger; Thomas Vanek and Jaromir Jagr come to mind as players who could still help for a year while serving as a bridge to youngsters like Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc.  The team clearly has confidence in their youngsters but it never hurts to have a capable insurance policy in place.

Even if they don’t make further moves, I don’t think they’re in too much jeopardy of taking a major step back.  Vegas isn’t going to be a playoff contender and neither are Arizona and Vancouver.  Right off the bat, their worst case scenario is maybe just falling short of a Wild Card spot as they’re not going to be any worse than fifth in the division.  The Sharks aren’t likely to contend for a division title in 2017-18 but they should still be in the think of the playoff race, either for the last guaranteed Pacific spot or one of the Wild Cards.

Harry Goldman: If The NHLPA Opts Out Of CBA After The 2019-20 Season, Do You Think There Will Be A Lockout? If “YES” How Long?

I think you’re being generous classifying this as if and not when the NHLPA opts out as things currently stand.  Between the rapidly escalating escrow situation and the Olympic snafu, it’s going to happen.  Unfortunately, considering the last two CBA talks have resulted in lockouts, there’s a good chance there will be another one when that time comes.

As for how long it will be, a lot will depend on whether the two sides are going to be looking to change the 50/50 split (at least on paper) of hockey related revenue, or HRR.  If they agree to keep it as is, that’s one big element that will be out of the equation that was there before.  That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are discussions as to how to redefine or reclassify certain parts of HRR that could complicate things a bit even if they keep the current split intact.

In terms of other stuff that will be on the table, escrow and the Olympics will undoubtedly be areas that the NHLPA will want addressed while it wouldn’t be surprising to see the league try to put caps on no-trade or no-move clauses, term limits, and maybe even restricting the amount of signing bonuses permitted in a standard contract on the table to avoid contracts like the ones that Carey Price and Connor McDavid, among others, have signed lately.

If you’re looking for anything optimistic to hang your hat on, consider that the US television deal may be in play at this time as they’ll be within one year of the current deal with NBC expiring.  It’s not practical business sense to not have games being played when you’re trying to get a new TV deal, especially with the expectation that rights fees across the sporting landscape are likely to drop.

It doesn’t seem like much progress gets made in CBA talks until there’s a work stoppage so it’s reasonable to expect one to happen.  However, I don’t think it will be as long as the last two – maybe a couple of months but not enough to cancel an entire season like 2004-05.

Erik Jernigan: I feel that the Hurricanes still need to acquire a top line center. Do you see any other options that may be available since it doesn’t seem like a Duchene deal will ever happen?

You can make a case that many teams still need to acquire a top line center but Carolina isn’t in bad shape at all with Viktor Rask, Elias Lindholm, and Jordan Staal.  If they were to keep Lindholm down the middle permanently, that’s a pretty strong trio with the first two still having some offensive upside.  There isn’t a true number one but you could make a case they have three number twos and not many teams have that type of depth.  They could use more offensive help for sure but I don’t think GM Ron Francis would need to limit his focus to the center position.

In terms of notable names besides Matt Duchene (who some teams view as a second liner and not a top liner now) being available, there really aren’t any that spring to mind.  Toronto and Tyler Bozak could be one to watch at some point if they intend to move William Nylander back to center long-term but he’s a rental.  Everyone wants John Tavares but the likelihood of the Islanders moving him now is remote and he’s also a rental.  I wonder if the Jets will be able to afford to keep Bryan Little around long-term but he too is a pending UFA and that decision could be punted until closer to the trade deadline depending on where they are in the standings.

Legitimate number one centers with team control rarely become available and Duchene is probably the most prominent pivot that could move before the season starts.  Beyond him, the opportunity for upgrading at that position may have to wait until midseason depending on which rental players may be available.

Connorsoxfan: Is Boston going to have to add a vet like Vanek/Jagr/Stafford, or are they content relying on young guys like Bjork and Jakob Forsbacka-Karlson/Carlson (I forget the spelling) to fill out the top 9?

The answer may ultimately depend on what happens with the David Pastrnak discussions.  How much money does GM Don Sweeney want to keep around for in-season moves?  If Pastrnak comes in at a deal smaller than Brad Marchand (eight years, $49MM) which is what both sides had talked about earlier, then there should be enough wiggle room to add a more proven veteran.  If it comes in higher though, they may not have enough room left in their ‘slush fund’ to sign someone of note and still have enough money left for during the season.

I think the team is content with using some of their talented prospects in their top nine if they need to.  If it was me in charge though, I’d be looking to sign one of those veterans.  Injuries always happen and young players can struggle so why not have that extra help in place beforehand rather than potentially being forced to trade from a position of weakness during the season?  With Drew Stafford’s market in particular not going anywhere, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s offered a cheap one-year deal.  He played well enough down the stretch for them that he’d be worth keeping around in some capacity.

Ray: Will Preds GM pull the trigger give up defense for offense? Finally get replacement for James Neal?

I think there will be a time where GM David Poile moves one of his top-four defenders.  However, I don’t think it happens this season.  The earlier acquisition of Alexei Emelin gives them the security blanket of being able to move him into a second pairing role if injuries arise.  If they move one of their better ones now, Emelin becomes a full-time top-four player which isn’t ideal.

Nashville has quite a few promising young blueliners including Dante Fabbro and Samuel Girard, among several others.  They could dangle one of those prospects to a rebuilding team to try and find a replacement for Neal that way.  I think that would be the better way to go as that would allow them to keep their top two pairings intact.

A few years from now when some of these youngsters are NHL ready is when I could see one of their big four defenders getting dealt.  If they have intentions of making another long playoff run in 2017-18 though, they’ll need that back end at full strength so dealing from that to fill their offensive void fixes one hole but creates another that may be even harder to fix which would be counter-productive at best.

Submit Your Questions For The Pro Hockey Rumors Mailbag

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Did you miss the weekly live chat? Well now you can submit your question to our mailbag and have our Brian La Rose answer it on Monday! While the summer drags on, there is still lots of intrigue as teams look to fine tune their roster and use their remaining cap space. You can submit your questions on Twitter using the hashtag #PHRMailbag or by using the comment feature below.

Be sure to check back on Monday when our mailbag is posted. You can check out the last mailbag right here.

Will The San Jose Sharks Make A Move?

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It’s hard to make an argument for any other team in the NHL as having a less exciting start to the 2017 off-season than the San Jose Sharks. Yes, the Sharks are just a year removed from a Stanley Cup appearance and have re-signed Norris Trophy-winner Brent Burns as well as Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Joe Thornton, and Martin Jones since then. You can get excited about new deals for Ryan Carpenter and Tim Heed last month too if you like. Yet, other than re-signing their own players, what have the Sharks added to their 2017-18 squad?

We know what they’ve lost. Patrick Marleau, a career-Shark and the franchise leader in goals (power play, short-handed, and even strength), points, and games played, is now a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. David Schlemko, a 2016 free agency addition, was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Expansion Draft and then flipped to the Montreal Canadiens. Micheal Haley (Florida Panthers) and Buddy Robinson (Winnipeg Jets) are also gone.

The only additions for San Jose thus far, as they look to plug the holes formed by lost free agents as well as improve upon their 2016-17 performance: left wing Brandon Bollig and goaltender Antoine Bibeau. Bollig, 30, is a physical, fourth-line caliber forward, but doesn’t produce enough on a consistent basis to be a regular player. Bollig hit his career-high in points in 2013-14 with the Chicago Blackhawks when he scored 14 points in 82 games. Soon after, he was traded to the Calgary Flames, where he scored just nine points in 116 games over two seasons before being buried in the AHL for the entirety of the 2016-17 season. The big winger posted 11 goals and 11 assists in 60 games for the AHL’s Stockton Heat, but still brings little to the the table for the Sharks other than grit and experience. As for Bibeau, the 23-year-old keeper was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Toronto Maple Leafs after a disappointing season. Bibeau had an .894 save percentage and 3.08 GAA in 32 regular season appearances for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and performed even worse in his one playoff game. Bibeau had clearly fallen behind Garret Sparks and Kasimir Kaskisuo to fifth in the Leafs’ organizational depth chart, and so he was not retained. In San Jose, Bibeau will be no greater than fourth behind Jones, Aaron Dell, and Troy Grosenick and may never get another NHL start.

Bollig and Bibeau, two players destined for the AHL, are not exactly an inspiring pair, which begs the question: will the Sharks make another move? The team is far from perfect and could use some help. Jones and Dell proved to be a solid duo last season and the blue line is as deep as any in the NHL, but San Jose is not without needs up front. The Sharks ranked just 19th in scoring last season, and also boasted on of the worst power play’s in the NHL, below average face-off numbers, and poor possession stats. Burns (a defenseman) was the team’s leading scorer last year and tied for the team lead in goals, while the since-departed Marleau was fifth in scoring and third in goals. The rest of the top five scorers –  Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, and Joe Thornton – will return, but the 38-year-old Thornton is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, an injury that occurred after he scored all *seven* of his goals. Beyond those three forwards, the production dropped way off in 2016-17 to the likes of disappointments such as Mikkel Boedker and Joel Ward and young, developing players like Chris Tierney and Tomas Hertl. The Sharks have a clear need for secondary scoring, especially with Marleau gone, and could use a power play catalyst as well. Brandon Bollig is not going to cut it and a full season of Jannik Hansen, acquired at the Trade Deadline, likely won’t either.

Top options for the Sharks include Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford, and Jiri Hudler, while taking a waiver on a veteran like Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla, P.A. Parenteau, or Mike Ribeiro or on a younger player like Alex Chiasson or Brandon Pirri could work as well. Given the Sharks’ scoring needs, their sufficient cap space, and the complete dullness of their off-season to this point, perhaps maybe two of those players could find their way to San Jose. If not, the Sharks do have pieces to make a move to acquire a scorer, potentially a Matt Duchene or Evander Kane, if they so choose. One way or another, GM Doug Wilson needs to do something, and quick, or not only will he have a team that has surely gotten worse since the end of the season, but he will have a disappointed fan base on his hands as well.

PHR Originals: 5/7/17 – 5/14/17

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While the hockey world has been captivated by the NHL playoffs, now onto the conference finals, it’s been a relatively quiet week for hard-hitting news. Luckily, the PHR writers have been hard at work on some original works. Here’s a round-up of our recent articles:

Lead writer Gavin Lee detailed how team may use the Vegas Golden Knight’s early free agent negotiation window to their own benefit, including the possibility of sign-and-trades. The upcoming Expansion Draft is bringing many new and foreign concepts to the otherwise routine structure of the NHL off-season, and the negotiation window is just another level. Gavin also looked into some pressing goaltending issues for two teams that struggled in 2016-17: the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars.

Seth Lawrence was busy with original pieces this week, as he dove into a plethora of topics including the big question everyone is asking after another early postseason exit for the Washington Capitals: should Alexander Ovechkin be moved? Seth also looked back at the P.K. Subban–Shea Weber trade, looked forward to potential buyouts this summer, and took a shot at guessing a few names that may be of interest to GM Dale Tallon and the Florida Panthers.

Brian La Rose continued to plug away at his “Offseason Keys” series, this week targeting three unique Eastern Conference organizations: a team whose fortunes have changed more than any other since the end of the season, the Draft lottery-winning New Jersey Devils; a team with a new man in charge and in desperate need of a quick turnaround, the Buffalo Sabres; and a team who over the past decade plus has still been playing at this point in the season more often than not rather than planning a rebuild, the Detroit Red Wings.

Holger Stolzenberg turned his focus to Western Conference and two Canadian squads with some questions to answer. Can the Edmonton Oilers rely on youngsters like Drake Caggiula, Anton Slepyshev, and Matt Benning moving forward? How will the Winnipeg Jets go about solving their problems in net?

Brett Barrett reminded us that, though it rarely seen, restricted free agent offer sheets do exist and given the talent level of the 2017 restricted free agent class, we may see one pop up this off-season. The price is high, but is it worth the investment?

Finally, yesterday I reflected on one of the busiest days in hockey and voiced my concerns over the status of another. With the NHL season nearing its end, who were the true winners and losers of the NHL Trade Deadline given the benefit of hindsight? Some of those deals still await further evaluation if the acquired player signs an extension, but in an already weak unrestricted free agent class that has seen top talent re-sign already with the potential for many more deals prior to July 1st, can we as hockey fans afford to see more extensions? Who will be left to highlight free agency?

PHR Originals: Weekend Edition

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Alongside breaking NHL news, ProHockeyRumors staff pen original and engaging work. This weekend brought pieces on individual teams’ expansion draft issues, offseason considerations, and free agency. In case you missed them, here are the top five original pieces published this weekend:

Blue Jackets Must Convince Hartnell to Waive NMC
The Columbus Blue Jackets had an excellent season spurred by the exciting play of several young forwards. The team faces a potential setback, however, if they lose one of those young players to the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL expansion draft this summer. The biggest obstacle preventing the Blue Jackets from protecting all their young prospects is aging veteran forward Scott Hartnell. Hartnell has a No-Movement Cause, and the expansion draft rules require that any player with a NMC must be protected in the draft. That means that Columbus must protect Hartnell over one of its more promising younger players. The Blue Jackets can solve this issue by convincing Hartnell to waive his NMC.

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PHR Originals: 4/23/17 – 4/29/17

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Here’s a rundown of some of the original content produced by the PHR staff over the past week:

Seth Lawrence takes a closer look at the Red Wings and some of the challenges GM Ken Holland faces this offseason as he looks to reshape the team after missing the postseason for the first time in 25 years.  Unfortunately for those looking for change, there are some pricey contracts and a tricky salary cap situation to navigate that makes any significant changes easier said than done.

Seth also broke down some of the tough decisions that the Senators and GM Pierre Dorion will soon be dealing with when it comes to the expansion draft in June.  As things look now, they may be in line to lose a key component of their team to the Golden Knights but that discussion will be in the background for now with the Sens already up 2-0 in their second round series against the Rangers.

Still with expansion, our Zach Leach details how the Flyers find themselves in a bit of a tricky situation when it comes to that draft.  Do they protect their best option for the present and risk losing a quality youngster or protect the prospect and potentially have to go into free agency to find a new starter?

It’s likely to be a summer where quite a few goalies of note find themselves with new teams.  Seth discusses some of the teams that are likely to be on the prowl for help between the pipes.  With the amount of goalies that could be available in advance of expansion, those teams could be poised to bounce on a potential buyers’ market.

In a draft class without a consensus number one choice, the time may be right to consider dealing away the top pick which the Devils own after the draft lottery on Saturday.  Our Gavin Lee reviews the recent history of the number one pick being traded, something that hasn’t yielded a whole lot of extra value for teams in the past.

Trading The First Overall Pick: A Draft Lottery Timeline

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Since the NHL draft lottery was created in 1995, there has been an uncertainty over who would be given the opportunity to select first overall in the year’s draft, with perceived “tanking” teams not being guaranteed the best spot. From it’s inception through 2012, teams could only move up four spots and thus the Los Angeles Kings—the very first winners of the lottery—couldn’t steal the first pick away from the Ottawa Senators in ’95.

But whenever a team is awarded the top spot, immediate pressure is put upon them to consider trading it. Questions are asked, stories are written and the seed of doubt creeps into a front office. ’How can we be sure that he’s the best available prospect?’ they ask, especially in years without a consensus. If Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid aren’t staring you in the face, it may be beneficial to let someone else make that decision. Teams have indeed given up the first pick in the past.

In 1998, the Tampa Bay Lightning were easily the worst team in the league. They finished with a 17-55-10 record and at the deadline decided to give themselves a bit of insurance. They dealt Bryan Marchment and David Shaw to the San Jose Sharks for Andrei Nasarov and the right to flip picks with the Sharks should they win the lottery. The Sharks had acquired the Florida Panthers pick earlier in the year, and looked like they’d have a good chance at winning the lottery. They did just that, and the Lightning’s insurance policy paid off allowing them to flip picks and select Vincent Lecavalier first overall.

The Sharks would actually trade down one more spot, giving the Nashville Predators the chance to draft David Legwand at #2. In return, the Sharks selected Brad Stuart at #3, and Jonathan Cheechoo at #29. While both were great players for the Sharks, Lecavalier would have looked mighty fine in San Jose for the better part of his career.

In 1999, the Chicago Blackhawks actually won the draft lottery but could only move up from eighth to fourth. That winning set a huge line of trades in motion, as Brian Burke desperately worked to get the second and third picks in order to draft Daniel and Henrik Sedin. First he dealt with Chicago, then Tampa Bay and finally Atlanta, giving them the first-overall pick and the chance to draft Patrik Stefan the Czech center that had elite potential.

This story ends with the Canucks getting two legendary players who are with the team to this day, the Lightning—who originally had the first overall pick—with Dan Cloutier, Niklas Sundstrom and a whack of players who never panned out, and the Thrashers with one of the biggest draft busts in history. The Blackhawks at least got Bryan McCabe out of that original deal with the Canucks.

In 2002, the Florida Panthers were all set to draft Jay Bouwmeester first overall after winning the draft lottery and moving up from third. He was their target all along, until Doug McLean and the Columbus Blue Jackets said they wanted Rick Nash anyway, and would trade up to get him. The Panthers moved back down to the third spot after making a deal with Atlanta that they wouldn’t pick Bouwmeester at #2—they chose Kari Lehtonen instead—and everyone ended up with their guy. All Florida got for moving down was the right to swap picks with Columbus the following year, but since the Panthers would again find themselves with the first-overall pick that right was never exercised.

That 2003 lottery had much of the same for Florida, who this time moved up from the fourth spot. It was the Penguins this year who were after that top spot, eyeing a goaltender named Marc-Andre Fleury. They dealt the Panthers Mikael Samuelsson, a second-rounder and their spot at #3 overall for the right to draft “Flower” and an extra third round selection. The Panthers would pick Nathan Horton at #3, and Stefan Meyer with that second rounder.

In retrospect, trading the first overall pick has rarely generated much extra value for the team, but has caused some of the most interested draft-floor dealing in history. When teams attend the lottery this Saturday, we’ll see who may hold the cards going into the June draft. With no clear consensus in the top five once again, perhaps there is another chance for a first-overall swap this summer.

PHR Originals: 3/27/17 – 4/1/17

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Pro Hockey Rumors had a number of original articles this week as the regular season winds down and the playoffs beckon. Here are a few from the past week:

  • Brett analyzed the Edmonton Oilers’ first line dominance and how it has played a tremendous role in the success of the team this season.  While the Oilers’ renaissance certainly got its jumpstart from Connor McDavid, it’s the play of others who have certainly helped the team reach the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
  • Meanwhile, I took a closer look at the rebuild situation that the Red Wings are facing and some concerning elements that have arisen over the past few years that GM Ken Holland will have to navigate.
  • Gavin highlighted the surprising yet impressive performance by Patrick Eaves, who has notched 29 goals this season between the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks. He also notes that no one in the hockey world–including your humble writers here at PHR–saw this performance coming. In addition to Eaves, Gavin wrote about Toby Enstrom and how after going through a season ending knee surgery, it may be in the Jets best interest to find a way to have him waive his no movement clause.
  • Finally, Gavin also answered many of your questions during a live chat. In addition to providing sound hockey analysis, he’s also open to fantasy baseball advice for replacing Jeurys Familia.

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